In this Coffee Course we are going to explore what is involved in delivering effective multi-mode or hybrid courses that retain the best of both worlds for online and on-campus learning, while ensuring students have a strong sense of community and can successfully begin to form their academic and professional identity.
In this unfamiliar environment of a major pandemic, more universities around the world are finding they need to upgrade their online offerings, in order to include students who need to study from home or from a distance, as well as those who are able to come on to a campus. Some universities are already well acquainted with catering to distance and online students, and have many online courses. However, others have retained a very strong on-campus means of delivery. In such universities, online environments and technology have often been seen as resources that complement, but do not replace, face to face teaching.
In the current world situation, many students will now face being fully online students for an extended period. How do we help them feel part of the university and confident that they are getting the best possible teaching to help them achieve their goals? Their online study must provide them with opportunities that are commensurate with on-campus opportunities, as far as possible.
Dates
This course will run from Wednesday 29 July to Friday 31 July 2020. There will be 3 blog posts, one per day, that will take about 15-20 minutes to work through. You are welcome to work through the course at your own pace, any time.
Modules
All are welcome
We welcome all staff, including tutors, demonstrators, professional staff, and academics at the Australian National University and beyond to join us for this course. This series of posts aims to specifically to provide support to ANU academics in their bid to ensure students remain engaged in Semester 2, so there are some ANU-specific references. However it may also be of interest to a broader audience and we welcome wider participation, to compare notes and to continue to form a community of practice among university academics and professional staff.
How to participate
The entire course will be conducted online, at your own pace through this blog. We encourage you to make a cup of coffee or tea and work through the material. Each post includes an activity or discussion question for you to respond to in the comment section of the blog. Be sure to subscribe to the blog (scroll down to the bottom, enter your email address and click on the red Subscribe button). You’ll receive an email each time a new post is made, and you can unsubscribe at any time.
Facilitators
Facilitators are experienced Educational Designers from the Centre for Learning and Teaching Educational Design team:
Jill Lyall has a background in social sciences, community services, and adult education. Jill has worked for many years in Vocational Education and Training in a TAFE environment in Western Australia. During that time she developed an interest in technology for learning, and developed her skills for online learning. Since early 2015, Jill worked with ANU Online, creating online materials for post-graduate courses and support and training resources in technology enhanced learning for academics at ANU, until the Centre for Teaching and Learning was established, where she now works in the same role.
Janene Harman is a Senior Learning Designer. Janene has a background as an Outreach Librarian and a Flexible Learning Developer at UNSW Canberra. In her current role, she leads MOOC development, trains lecturers in using Moodle and other educational technologies and also creates Articulate Storylines and H5P’s for various projects. Janene also has a background in visual arts, working as a practising and exhibiting artist.
Karlene Dickens is a Learning Designer. Karlene loves the fluid and dynamic nature of facilitating group discussions and is continuously inspired by the transformation and growth that occurs for both the group as a whole and the individuals within it. Karlene has facilitated numerous groups in diverse settings both face-to-face and online, including corporate, community and university environments.